Skip to content Skip to Search
Skip navigation

Demand for data centres accelerates across Mena

By Shruthi Nair

Demand is growing for data centres across the Mena region, which is “underserved” according to Hassan Alnaqbi, CEO of Khazna Data Centers.

Dubai-based Khazna, which has 14 working centres, 10 to 12 under construction and four more planned, is one of the largest operators in the region. 

“We have announced our expansion into Egypt. It will be a $250 million investment,” Alnaqbi said. 

Artificial intelligence will be the biggest driver of growth in data centre demand worldwide, according to Mouna Essa-Egh, VP Middle East and Africa at Schneider Electric.

“The GCC data centres market is estimated at being $1.3 billion in 2023 with a compound annual growth rate [CAGR] of 13 percent, but that is without AI,” she said.

“AI is growing very fast with an estimated CAGR of 20 percent to 35 percent in the next three to five years.

The GCC “will be reaching $7 billion of AI by 2028. So, AI alone will be accounting for more than 20 percent of the data centres we are selling”, she added. 

Do you know how many gigabytes of data were created and consumed last year? Watch the video to find out.

Latest articles

Revenues at Dubai Taxi's core taxi segment rose 15%, driven by increased trips, trip lengths and higher tariffs

Dubai Taxi revenue and profit soar as fleet expands

Dubai Taxi Company (DTC), a subsidiary of the emirate’s transport regulator, reported that revenue rose 16 percent year on year to AED558 million ($152 million) in the first quarter of 2024 due to a growing fleet and more taxi journeys. Revenue in the core taxi segment rose 15 percent annually, driven by increased trips, trip […]

People, Person, Adult

Emirates chairman ‘not happy’ with Boeing delays

Emirates chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum has called on Boeing’s new management to address technical issues with the 777X widebody aircraft as a matter of urgency, admitting that he was “not happy” with the US planemaker. The flight operator has an order for 205 of the jets which were originally due to be […]

Revenue from the steel division reached AED1.95 billion during the first quarter, generating a profit for Emirates Steel Arkan of AED86 million

Rising freight costs impact Emirates Steel Arkan profit

Emirates Steel Arkan reported a net profit of AED128 million ($35 million) in the first quarter of 2024, down 16 percent year on year, due to elevated freight costs on the back of regional geopolitical challenges. Revenue at the Abu Dhabi-headquartered company for the three months to March 2024 fell 12.5 percent to AED2.1 billion […]

A declaration of intent to begin Cepa talks was signed by UAE minister of state for foreign trade Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and New Zealand trade minister Todd McClay

UAE and NZ in talks to build on non-oil trade

The UAE has agreed to start negotiations on a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (Cepa) with New Zealand as part of plans to boost the Gulf state’s foreign trade to AED4 trillion ($1.1 trillion) by 2031.  A joint declaration of intent confirming the agreement has been signed by Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and Todd […]